FORMATION OF PLANTATIONS 



carried out, as the growth of shrubs and 

 grasses is usually dwarf in such situations, and 

 will probably consist of heath, gorse, broom, 

 thorn, and some of the rougher-growing 

 grasses. Burning the latter during dry 

 weather will suffice, but in the case of shrub 

 growth such should be uprooted and burnt 

 on the ground. On high and exposed sites 

 nothing in the way of surface growth should, 

 however, be removed, unless it interferes with 

 planting operations. 



Drainage and Laying Out the Roads. From 

 a practical point of view these operations may 

 go hand-in-hand. Certainly, a most impor- 

 tant item in the formation of a plantation is 

 efficient drainage or the removing of stagnant 

 water. Every part of the ground may not 

 require drainage, and in many cases straight- 

 ening and cleaning out existing water-courses 

 will be all that is necessary. Where, however, 

 stagnant moisture, which would be likely to 

 affect the health of the young trees, is present, 

 it should be removed, and in doing so every 

 fall of the ground should be taken advantage 



71 



